Notting Hill
London W11 2EE
Not ready to wear
May 5 to May 12 2008
Private view
Tuesday May 6
6pm - 9pm
Mix media on canvas 146x97 cm Mix media on canvas 162x97 cm
JUNGLE FEVER EASY TIGER
Mix media on canvas 100x100 cm Mix media on canvas 100x100 cm
WHAT WOMAN HAS NEVER DREAMED OF FASHIONING HER OWN PRINCESS' DRESS ?
Zaza Minssen’s two passions have taken form on large scale canvas.
The French painter has been interested in painting isolated objects taken out of their context
for several years. She works on the representation of objects and extracts them from their
environment to give them new life.
A CONTEMPORARY ENCOUNTER BETWEEN ART & FASHION
In this show she tackles the subject of fashion with extreme liberties and a daring attitude
which gives her dresses a dimension that is blurring all our references.
Are they the beautiful dresses we would not wear because they would look better on
models? Are they destroyed just enough to tell us that the whole idea of beauty in fashion is
superficial? Are they a window on our inner desires?
By creating desirable objects that we cannot wear but just look at, Z.Minssen forces us to
think about our relationship between fashion and beauty. It looks that her response to
superficiality and desire about fashion items is to actually paint her own glamorous dresses,
the ones not found in any shop, or worn by anybody else.
A Minssen’s dress thus becomes a statement of Being beautiful rather than Looking beautiful.
Zaza Minssen first London solo exhibition offers a glamorous selection of paintings illustrating
unusual dresses and Louis XV Fauteuil armchairs.
EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES
Zaza Minssen is not the smooth jazzy kind of woman. She is more of a rock and roll girl.
She likes to push limits and she likes big space, bold colours and complex textures. It is not
about the surface of things but rather about what the surface, the external aspect tells about
femininity.
There is also something extremely satisfying in the process Minssen uses to play with the
fabric and paint in order to create unique textures and effects. Gluing , scratching, pealing
the fabric in order to reveal a surprising second skin can remind us of the exciting moment of
pleasure while undressing a female’s body.
At the same time it demonstrates a certain aggressiveness similar to the act of breaking your
own toy. Desire and rebellion are never very far from her spirit.
From a semantic point of view we are facing a reality where the frontiers between painting
and fashion are blurred.
FASHIONING HER IDEA OF FEMININITY
The result of such experimental technique is that the surface of her paintings look like Vintage
painting-clothes, something which has decayed in a way.
This builds an opposition with the idea of Perfection of luxury goods. It is also a statement
about Time: Fashion is rooted in Time: it is either IN or OUT.
By making her dresses vintage and damaged, Zaza Minssen puts fashion into the Time of
Painting, the Time of things which last, the Time of objects we can look forever without
thinking it is OUT of fashion!
Dripping backgrounds using many thin layers of colours, transparency and grading give a
subtlety to her palette. Exploring new materials, like aluminium and stainless steel to draw
dresses constantly pushing the limits of her visual language. These slightly acid shiny dresses
remind us of sweets and are also a funny reference to pop art.
Paintings of Louis XV armchairs with zebra or red fluffy fabric, displayed next to beautiful sexy
dresses, Zaza Minssen ‘s collection makes you feel you are in a luxury Salon Haute Couture
trying on your next outfit for a glamorous evening.
With these extra-ordinary dresses Minssen seems to have reached a a state of reconciliation
with the idea of femininity which makes her work blossom.
Without doubt the exhibition NOT READY TO WEAR will create a temptation to dress up your walls!
© Marine Gueguen Strage 2008